Those are the respective dates for PRIDE 32 and 33 in Las Vegas, the opportunity to see the legendary Japanese promotion in person that American fight fans had awaited for years.

The pair of cards at UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center delivered, too. Especially PRIDE 33, which featured a matchup between Nick Diaz and Takanori Gomi that is regularly name-checked among the most exciting fights in the sport’s history; and Dan Henderson’s knockout win over Wanderlei Silva, which made him the only simultaneous two-weight-class world MMA champion, an honor he holds to this day.

Current RIZIN CEO and former PRIDE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara, considers those evenings to be among the most memorable events he has promoted.

“In the PRIDE days, we did shows in Las Vegas,” Sakakibara said. “I was very emotional to put on an event [in the city] where MMA was born as a major event.”

So, does Sakakibara have plans on bringing his new company Stateside? In its first year, after all, RIZIN is already bringing it’s product outside the Japanese home market, co-promoting Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabio Maldonado in St. Petersburg, Russia on June 17.

But Sakakibara says they’ll wait until the time is right.

“My dream is, I want to come back to US market with RIZIN,” Sakakibara said. “We need the right time. We have to bring people back to the Japanese market, first.”

Of course, a potentially stumbling block is getting RIZIN’s PRIDE-style rules approved in a U.S. commission state. Back in 2006-07, PRIDE’s events were held under a modified system, retaining the 10-minute opening round, but adopting the 10-point-must system used in North America.